or Dog, in zoology, a genus of quadrupeds, belonging to the order of fere. The characters of the dog are these: he has six fore-teeth in the upper jaw, those in the sides being longer than the intermediate ones, which are lobated; in the under jaw there are likewise six fore-teeth, those on the sides being lobated. He has six grinders in the upper, and seven in the lower jaw. The teeth called dog-teeth are four, one on each side, both in the lower and upper jaw; they are sharp-pointed, bent a little inward, and stand at a distance from any of the rest.
There are eight species of this genus, viz.
I. The familiaris, or domestic dog, is distinguished from the other species, by having his tail bent to the left side; which mark is so singular, that perhaps the tail of no other quadruped is bent in this manner. Of this species there are a great number of varieties. Linnaeus enumerates 11, and Buffon gives figures of no less than 27.—The mastiff is about the size of a wolf, with the sides of the lips hanging down, and a full robust body. The large Danish dog differs only from the former in being fuller in the body, and generally of a larger size. The greyhound is likewise the same with the mastiff; but its make is more slender and delicate. Indeed the difference betwixt these three dogs, although perfectly distinguishable at first sight, is not greater than that betwixt a Dutchman, a Frenchman, and an Italian. The shepherd's dog, the wolf-dog, and what is commonly called the Siberian dog, to which may be joined the Lapland dog, the Canada dog, and, in general, all those which have strait ears and a pointed snout, are all one kind, differing only in thickness, the roughnesses or smoothness of their skin, the length of their legs, and tails. The hound or beagle, the terrier, the braque or harrier, and the spaniel, may be considered as the same kind; they have the same form and the same instincts; and differ only in the length of their legs, and size of their ears, which in each of them are long, soft, and pendulous. The bull-dog, the small Danish dog, the Turkish dog, and the Iceland dog, may likewise be considered as the same kind, all the varieties in their appearance taking their rise merely from climate. For instance, the Turkish dog, which has no hair, is nothing else but the small Danish dog transported to a warm climate, which makes the hair fall off. A dog of any kind loses its hair in very warm climates. But this is not the only change which arises from difference of climate. In some countries, the voice is changed; in others, dogs become altogether silent. In some climates they lose the faculty of barking, and howl like wolves, or yelp like foxes. Warm climates even change their form and instincts; they turn ill-shaped, and their ears become strait and pointed. It is only in temperate climes that dogs preserve their natural courage, ardour, and sagacity.
In order to give an idea of the different kinds of dogs in different climates, and of the varieties produced by commixtures, we shall give an explanation of Buffon's genealogical tree, see Plate LXX. fig. 1. This tree is constructed in the form of a geographical chart, in which the situation of the different climates to which the particular dogs belong, is observed as accurately as the nature of the thing will admit.
The shepherd's dog is the stump of the tree; this dog, when transported to Lapland, or any very cold climate, assumes an ugly appearance, and its legs become short. But, in Britain, Russia, Siberia, &c., where the cold is not so rigorous, and the people are more civilized, he arrives at greater perfection, both in form and sagacity. The same shepherd's dog, when brought up in a country fully civilized, as Britain or France, loses his savage air, his strait ears, his thick long hair, and becomes what is called a bull-dog, a mastiff, a beagle, or hound. These changes, Buffon attributes to the influence of the climate, the manners of the people, &c. The mastiff and the bull-dog have their ears still partly strait, or half-pendent, and resemble in their manners and sanguine disposition the dog from which they derive their origin. The beagle or hound preserves less of the appearance of its origin than the other two; its ears are long and entirely pendent; the softness, the tractability, the timidity of this dog, Buffon considers as so many proofs of its great degeneracy, or rather of that perfection which it acquires by culture and living among a civilized people.
The hound, the small spotted setting-dog, and the terrier, are all of the same family; for all the three kinds are often produced at the same litter, although the female hound had been covered only by one of these kinds.
When the hound is transported to Spain, or Barbary, where almost every animal has fine, long, downy hair, it is changed into a water-hound, or spaniel. And the small and large spaniel, which differ only in the tail, when carried to Britain, are changed from a white to a black colour, and become what are called the large and small shagged dogs.
The mastiff, when carried to the north, is changed into the large Danish dog; and when transported to the south, it becomes a greyhound. The large greyhounds come from the Levant; those of a lesser size come from Italy; and the Italian greyhounds, when brought to Britain, become what the French call levrons, that is, greyhounds of the least size.
The great Danish dog, when carried to Ireland, the Ukraine, Tartary, &c., is changed into the Irish dog, which is the largest of all dogs.
The bull-dog, when carried from Britain to Denmark, becomes the small Danish dog; and this small Danish dog, when transported into a warm climate, loses its hair, and is changed into the Turkish dog.
All these races or families, with their varieties, are produced by the influence of climate, food, and education: the other kinds marked in the tree are not pure or distinct families, but are produced by the commixture of the other families. These mongrel dogs, with the particular parents which produce them, are marked out in the tree by dotted lines. For example,
The greyhound and mastiff produce the mongrel greyhound, which is likewise called the greyhound with wolf's hair. The large Danish dog and the large spaniel produce the Calabrian dog; which is a beautiful dog, with long bushy hair, and of a larger size than the mastiff. The spaniel and the small Danish dog produce the lion-dog, which is a very rare kind. It is needless to give more examples, as they can easily be traced from the dotted lines in the tree.
Dr Caius has left, among several other tracts relating to natural history, one written expressly on the species of British dogs: besides a brief account of the variety of dogs then existing in this country, he has added a systematic table of them: his method is so judicious, that we shall make use of the same; explain it by a brief account of each kind; and point out those that are no longer in use amongst us. a. The first variety is the terrarius, or terrier, which takes its name from its subterraneous employ; being a small kind of hound used to force the fox, or other beasts of prey, out of their holes; and, in former times, rabbits out of their burrows into nets.
b. The leverarius, or harrier, is a species well known at present: it derives its name from its use, that of hunting the hare; but under this head may be placed the fox-hound, which is only a stronger and fleeter variety, applied to a different chase.
c. The fanginarius, blood-hound, or fleut-bounded of the Scots, was a dog of great use, as already noticed under the article Blood-Hound.
The next division of this species of dogs comprehends those that hunt by the eye; and whose success depends either upon the quickness of their sight, their swiftness, or their subtlety.
d. The agafus, or gaze-hound, was the first: it chased indifferently the fox, hare, or buck. It would select from the herd the fattest and fairest deer; pursue it by the eye; and, if lost for a time, recover it again by its singular distinguishing faculty; nay, should the beast rejoin the herd, this dog would fix unerringly on the same. This species is now lost, or at least unknown to us.
e. The next kind is the leporarius, or gre-hound. Dr Caius informs us, that it takes its name quod praeceps gradus fit inter canes, "the first in rank among dogs;" that it was formerly esteemed so, appears from the forest-laws of king Canute, who enacted that no one under the degree of a gentleman should presume to keep a gre-hound; and still more strongly from an old Welsh saying which signifies, that "you may know a gentleman by his hawk, his horse, and his gre-hound."
The variety called the Highland gre-hound, and now become very scarce, is of very great size, strong, deep-chested, and covered with long rough hair. This kind was much esteemed in former days, and used in great numbers by the powerful chieftains in their magnificent hunting-matches. It had as sagacious nostrils as the blood-hound, and was as fierce.
f. The third species is the levinarius, or lorarius; the leviner or lyemmer: the first name is derived from the lightness of the kind; the other from the old word lyemme, a thong; this species being used to be led in a thong, and flipped at the game. Our author says that this dog was a kind that hunted both by scent and sight; and in the form of its body observed a medium between the hound and the gre-hound. This probably is the kind now known among us by the name of the Irish gre-hound, a dog now extremely scarce in that kingdom, the late king of Poland having procured from them as many as possible. They were of the kind called by Buffon le grand Danois, and probably imported there by the Danes who long possessed that kingdom. Their use seems originally to have been for the chase of wolves with which Ireland swarmed till the latter end of the last century. As soon as these animals were extirpated, the numbers of the dogs decreased; for, from that period, they were kept only for state.
g. The vertagus, or tumbler, is a fourth species; which took its prey by mere subtlety, depending neither on the sagacity of its nose, nor its swiftness: if it came into a warren, it neither barked, nor ran on the rabbits; but by a seeming neglect of them, or attention to something else, deceived the object till it got within reach, so as to take it by a sudden spring. This dog was less than the hound, more scrappy, had pricked up ears, and by Dr Caius's description seems to answer to the modern lurcher.
The third division of the more generous dogs comprehends those which were used in fowling.
h. First, the Hispanulus, or spaniel: from the name, it may be supposed that we were indebted to Spain for this breed. There were two varieties of this kind: the first used to spring the game, which are the same with our starters. The other variety was used only for the net, and was called index, or the fetter; a kind well known at present. This kingdom has been long remarkable for producing dogs of this sort, particular care having been taken to preserve the breed in the utmost purity. They are still distinguished by the name of English spaniels; so that, notwithstanding the derivation of the name, it is probable they are natives of Great Britain.
i. The aquaticus, or fynder, was another species used in fowling; was the same with our water-spaniel; and was used to find or recover the game that was shot.
k. The Melitaeus, or fotor, the spaniel gentle or comforter of Dr Caius (the modern lap-dog), was the last of this division. The Melitae little dogs were as much esteemed by the fine ladies of past times, as those of Bologna are among the moderns. Old Hollinghead is ridiculously severe on the fair of his days, for their excessive passion for these little animals; which is sufficient to prove that it was, in his time*, a novelty.
2. The second grand division of dogs comprehends the rusticus, or those that were used in the country.
a. The first species is the pastoralis, or shepherd's dog; which is the same that is used at present, either in guarding our flocks, or in driving herds of cattle. This kind is so well trained for these purposes, as to attend to every part of the herd be it ever so large; confine them to the road; and force in every straggler, without doing it the least injury. b. The next is the *villaticus*, or *calenarius*; the maffiff or band dog; a species of great size and strength, and a very loud barker. Caius tells us that three of these were reckoned a match for a bear; and four for a lion: but from an experiment made in the Tower of London, that noble quadruped was found an unequal match to only three. Two of the dogs were disabled in the combat, but the third forced the lion to seek for safety by flight. The English bull-dog seems to belong to this species; and probably is the dog our author mentions under the title of *lanarius*. Great Britain was so noted for its maffiffs, that the Roman emperors appointed an officer in this island under the name of *procurator cynegii*, whose sole business was to breed, and transmit from hence to the amphitheatre, such as would prove equal to the combats of the place. Grattius speaks in high terms of the excellency of the British dog.
*Atque ipsi flebent pecora Britanniae?* *O quaestis illi meritis, et quantum imperium supra!* *Sic non ad spectiam, mendacissime decures.* *Protegat: nec vos calumnia fallere Britanniae.* *At magnum cum venit opus, promendae virtutis.* *Et vocat extremos preceps inferirentes servos.* *Non tunc egregia tantum admirare Molossos.* *Si Britanniae distantem costam dare explore.* *How much beyond the coast the valued store.* *If shape and beauty not alone we prize.* *Which nature to the British bound denies.* *But when the mighty toil the huntsman warms.* *And all the soul is rous'd by fierce alarms.* *When Mars calls furious to the embattling field.* *Even bold Molossos then to these mould yield.*
Strabo tells us that the maffiffs of Britain were trained to war, and were used by the Gauls in their battles; and it is certain, a well trained maffiff might be of use in distressing such half-armed and irregular combatants, as the adversaries of the Gauls seem generally to have been before the Romans conquered them.
3. The last division is that of the *degeneres*, or curs.
a. The first of these was the *wappe*, a name derived from its note; its only use was to alarm the family by barking, if any person approached the house.
b. Of this class was the *verstator*, or turn-spit; and lastly the *saltator*, or dancing-dog; or such as was taught variety of tricks, and carried about by idle people as a show. These *degeneres* were of no certain shape, being mongrels or mixtures of all kinds of dogs.
Having thus traced the varieties of the dog, and noticed the peculiarities of each, we shall now give its general natural history.
From the structure of the teeth, it might be concluded *a priori* that the dog is a carnivorous animal. He does not, however, eat indiscriminately every kind of animal substance. There are some birds, as the *colymbus arcticus*, which the water-dog will lay hold of with keenness, but will not bring out of the water, because its smell is exceedingly offensive to him. He will not eat the bones of a goose, crow, or hawk: but he devours even the putrid flesh of most other animals. He is possessed of such strong digestive powers, as to draw nourishment from the hardest bones. When flesh cannot be procured, he will eat fish, fruits, succulent herbs, and bread of all kinds. When oppressed with sickness, to which he is very subject, especially in the beginning of summer, and before ill weather, in order to procure a puke, he eats the leaves of the quicken-grass, the bearded wheat-grass, or the rough cock's-foot grass, which gives him immediate relief. When he steals a piece of flesh, as conscious of the immorality of the action, he runs off with his tail hanging and bent in twist his feet.
His drink is water, which he takes in small quantities at a time, by licking with his tongue. He is in some measure obliged to lick in this manner, otherwise his nose would be immersed in the water.
His excrements are generally hard feyballs, which, especially after eating bones, are white, and go by the name of *album græcum* among physicians. This album græcum was for a long time in great repute as a septic; but it is now entirely disregarded. He does not throw out his excrements promiscuously upon every thing that happens to be in the way, but upon stones, trunks of trees, or barren places. This is a wise institution of nature; for the excrements of a dog destroy almost every vegetable or animal substance. They are of such a putrid nature, that if a man's shoe touches them when recently expelled, that particular part will rot in a few days. He observes the same method in making his urine, which he throws out at a side. It is remarkable, that a dog will not pass a stone or a wall against which any other dog has pissed, without following his example, although a hundred should occur in a few minutes, in so much that it is astonishing how such a quantity can be secreted in so short a time.
The dog is an animal not only of quick motion, but remarkable for travelling very long journeys. He can easily keep up with his master, either on foot or horseback, for a whole day. When fatigued, he does not sweat, but lolls out his tongue. Every kind of dog can swim; but the water-dog excels in that article.
The dog runs round when about to lie down, in order to discover the most proper situation. He lies generally on his breast, with his head turned to one side, and sometimes with his head above his two fore-feet. He sleeps little, and even that does not seem to be very quiet; for he often startles, and seems to hear with more acuteness in sleep than when awake. They have a tremulous motion in sleep, frequently move their legs, and bark, which is an indication of dreaming.
Dogs are possessed of the sensation of smelling in a high degree. They can trace their master by the smell of his feet in a church, or in the streets of a populous city. This sensation is not equally strong in every kind. The hound can trace game, or his master's steps, 24 hours afterwards. He barks more furiously the nearer he approaches the fowl, unless he be beat and trained to silence.
The dog eats enviously, with oblique eyes: is an enemy to beggars: bites at a stone flung at it: is fond of licking wounds: howls at certain notes in music; and often urines on hearing them.
With regard to the propagation of dogs; the females admit the males before they are 12 months old. They remain in season 10, 12, or even 15 days, during which time they will admit a variety of males. They come into season generally twice in the year, and more frequently in the cold than in the hot months. The male discovers the condition of the female by the smell; but she seldom admits him the first six or seven days. One coitus will make her conceive a great number of young; but, when not restrained, she will admit several dogs every every day; she seems to have no choice or predilection, except in favour of large dogs: from this circumstance, it sometimes happens, that a small female, who has admitted a mastiff, perishes in bringing forth her young. During the time of copulation, these animals cannot separate themselves, but remain united so long as the erection subsists. This is owing to the structure of the parts. The dog has not only a bone in his penis, but in the middle of the corpus cavernosum there is a large hollow, which is blown up in the time of erection to a considerable bulk. The female, on the other hand, has a larger clitoris than perhaps any other animal; besides, a large firm protuberance rises in the time of copulation, and remains perhaps longer than that of the male, and prevents him from retiring till it subsides: accordingly, after the act of copulation is over, the male turns about in order to rest himself on his legs, and remains in that position till the parts turn flaccid. The female goes with young about nine weeks. They generally bring forth from six to twelve puppies. Those of a small size bring forth five, four, and sometimes but two. They continue to copulate and bring forth during life, which lasts generally about 14 or 15 years. The whelps are commonly blind, and cannot open their eyes, till the 10th or 12th day: the males are like the dog, the females like the bitch. In the fourth month, they lose some of their teeth, which are soon succeeded by others.
The dog has such a strong resemblance to the wolf and the fox, that he is commonly supposed to be the production of one or other of these animals tamed and civilized. Buffon informs us, that he kept a young dog and a young wolf together till they were three years of age, without their discovering the least inclination to copulate. He made the same experiment upon a dog and a fox; but their antipathy was rather increased when the female was in season. From these experiments he concludes, that dogs, wolves, and foxes, are perfectly distinct species of animals. There has, however, been lately an instance to the contrary. Mr Brooke, animal-merchant in Holborn, turned a wolf to a Pomeranian bitch in heat; the congress was immediate, and as usual between dog and bitch: she produced ten puppies. Mr Pennant says he saw one of them that had very much the resemblance of a wolf, and also much of its nature; being shipped at a weak deer, it instantly caught at the animal's throat and killed it.
With regard to the natural disposition of the dog: in a savage state, he is fierce, cruel, and voracious; but, when civilized and accustomed to live with men, he is possessed of every amiable quality. He seems to have no other desire than to please and protect his master. He is gentle, obedient, submissive, and faithful. These dispositions, joined to his almost unbounded sagacity, justly claim the esteem of mankind. Accordingly no animal is so much cared for or respected: he is so ductile, and so much formed to please, that he assumes the very air and temper of the family in which he resides.
An animal endowed with such uncommon qualities must answer many useful purposes. His fidelity and vigilance are daily employed to protect our persons, our flocks, or our goods. The acuteness of his smell gains him employment in hunting: he is frequently employed as a turnspit: at Brussels and in Holland, he is trained to draw little carts to the herb-market; and in Siberia, draws a fledge with his master in it, or loaded with provisions.
The dog is liable to many diseases, as the scab, madness, &c. and he seldom wants the tenia or tape-worm in his guts, especially if he drinks dirty water. [See Plate LXX. and LXXI.]
II. The second species of this kind is the lupus, or The Wolf, which is distinguished from the dog by having its tail turned inward. The wolf is larger and fiercer than a dog. His eyes sparkle, and there is a great degree of fury and wildness in his looks. He draws up his claws when he walks, to prevent his tread from being heard. His neck is short, but admits of very quick motion to either side. His colour is generally blackish. Like most ferocious animals, he can bear hunger a very long time; but, at last, when the appetite for victuals becomes intolerable, he grows perfectly furious, and will attack men, horses, dogs, and cattle of all kinds; even the graves of the dead are not proof against his rapacity. This circumstance is finely described, in the following lines.
By wintry famine rous'd,— Cruel as death, and hungry as the grave! Hurrying for blood! bony, and ghastly, and grim! Assembling wolves in raging troops defend; And, pouring o'er the country, bear along, Keen as the north-wind sweeps the glomy snow. All is their prize. They fallen on the herd, Pursue him to earth, and pierce his mighty heart. Nor can the bull his awful front defend, Or shake the murdering savages away. Rapacious at the mother's throat they fly, And tear the screaming infant from her breast. The god-like face of Man avails him naught. Even beauty, force divine! at whose bright glance The generous lion stands in fo'lden'd gaze. Here bleeds, a hapless undistinguishing prey. But if, appris'd of the severe attack, The country be thus up, lord by the feet, On church-yards drear (inhuman to relate!) The disappointed prowlers fall, and dig The shrouded body from the grave; o'er which, Mix'd with foul shades, and frighted ghosts, they howl.
THOMSON'S WINTER.
The wolf is extremely suspicious, and, unless pressed with hunger, seldom ventures out of the woods. They make a howling noise in the night, and assemble together in troops in order to devour their prey. The females are in heat in winter; and followed by several males, which occasions great combats. She goes with young ten weeks; near her time, prepares a soft bed of moss, in some retired place; and brings forth from five to nine at a birth.—The wolf is a native of Europe, and frequents the woods of many parts of the continent to this day. The teeth of this animal are large and sharp; and its bite is terrible, as its strength is great. The hunters therefore clothe their dogs, and guard their necks with spiked collars. Wolves are proscribed animals, destroyed by pit-falls, traps, or poison; a peasant in France who kills a wolf, carries its head from village to village, and collects some small reward from the inhabitants: the Kirghis-Khaifacks take the wolves by the help of a large hawk called berkut, which is trained for the diversion, and will fall on them and tear out their eyes. This island, a few centuries ago, was much infested by them. It was, as appears by Hollingshed, very noxious to the flocks in Scotland in 1577; nor was it entirely extirpated till about 1680, when when the last wolf fell by the hand of the famous Sir Ewen Cameron. We may therefore with confidence assert the non-existence of these animals, notwithstanding M. de Buffon maintains that the English pretend to the contrary.—It has been a received opinion, that the other parts of these kingdoms were in early times delivered from this pest by the care of king Edgar. In England he attempted to effect it by commutating the punishments of certain crimes into the acceptance of a certain number of wolves tongues from each criminal; and in Wales, by converting the tax of gold and silver into an annual tax of 300 wolves heads. But, notwithstanding these his endeavours, and the assertions of some authors, his scheme proved abortive. We find, that, some centuries after the reign of that Saxon monarch, these animals were again increased to such a degree, as to become again the object of royal attention: accordingly Edward I. issued out his royal mandate to Peter Corbet to superintend and assist in the destruction of them in the several counties of Gloucester, Worcester, Hereford, Salop, and Stafford; and in the adjacent county of Derby, (as Cambden, p. 902, informs us), certain persons at Wormhill held their lands by the duty of hunting and taking the wolves that infested the country, whence they were styled wolf-hunt. To look back into the Saxon times, we find, that in Athelstan's reign wolves abounded so in Yorkshire, that a retreat was built at Flixton in that county, "to defend passengers from the wolves, that they should not be devoured by them:" and such ravages did those animals make during winter, particularly in January, when the cold was severest, that the Saxons distinguished that month by the name of the wolf-mouth. They also called an outlaw wolf's-head, as being out of the protection of the law, proscribed, and as liable to be killed as that destructive beast. Ireland was infested by wolves for many centuries after their extinction in England; for there are accounts of some being found there as late as the year 1710, the last pretension for killing of wolves being made in the county of Cork about that time. [Plate LXXI. fig. 5.]
III. The hyena has a straight jointed tail, with the hair of its neck erect, small naked ears, and four toes on each foot. It inhabits Asiatic Turkey, Syria, Persia, and Barbary. Like the jackal, it violates the repositories of the dead, and greedily devours the putrid contents of the grave; like it, preys on the herds and flocks; yet, for want of other food, will eat the roots of plants, and the tender shoots of the palms: but, contrary to the nature of the former, it is an unoffensive animal; is solitary, and inhabits the chasms of the rocks. The superstitious Arabs, when they kill one, carefully bury the head, lest it should be employed for magical purposes; as the neck was of old by the Thesalian sorcerers.
Vigera non lyncis, non dura nodos hyenae.
Definit. Lucan, vi. 672.
The ancients were wild in their opinion of the hyena: they believed that its neck consisted of one bone without any joint; that it changed its sex; imitated the human voice; had the power of charming the shepherds, and, as it were, riveting them to the place they stood on: no wonder that an ignorant Arab should attribute supernatural powers to its remains. They are cruel, fierce, and untameable animals, of a most malevolent aspect; have a sort of obstinate courage, which will make them face stronger quadrupeds than themselves. Kaempfer relates, that he saw one which had put two lions to flight, regarding them with the utmost coolness. Their voice is hoarse, a disagreeable mixture of growling and roaring.
Mr Pennant describes a variety of this species, undistinguished by former naturalists, which he calls the spotted hyena. It has a large and flat head; some long hairs above each eye; very long whiskers on each side of the nose; a short black mane; hair on the body short and smooth; ears short and a little pointed, their outside black, inside cinereous; face and upper part of the head black; body and limbs reddish brown, marked with distinct black round spots; the hind legs with black transverse bars; the tail short, black, and full of hair. It inhabits Guinea, Ethiopia, and the Cape: lives in holes in the earth, or cliffs of the rocks; preys by night; howls horribly; breaks into the folds, and kills two or three sheep; devours as much as it can, and carries away one for a future repast; will attack mankind, scrape open graves, and devour the dead. Bofman has given this creature the name of jackal; by which Buffon being misled, makes it synonymous with the common jackal.
IV. The vulpes, or fox, has a straight tail, white at the point. His body is yellowish, or rather straw-coloured; his ears are small and erect; his lips are whitish, and his forefeet black. From the base of the tail a strong scent is emitted, which to some people is very fragrant, and to others extremely disagreeable. The fox is a native of almost every quarter of the globe, and is of such a wild and savage nature that it is impossible fully to tame him. He is esteemed to be the most crafty of all beasts of prey. His craftiness is chiefly discovered by the schemes he falls upon in order to catch lambs, geese, hens, and all kinds of small birds. When the females are in season, they make a disagreeable yelping noise in the night. It breeds only once in a year, (except some accident befalls the first litter), and brings four or five young, which, like puppies, are born blind. It is a common received opinion, that this animal will produce with the dog kind: which may be well founded; since it has been proved that the generous wolf will, as noticed above. The fox flies when he hears the explosion of a gun, or smells gunpowder. He is exceedingly fond of grapes, and does much mischief in vineyards. Various methods are daily employed to destroy foxes: they are hunted with dogs; iron traps are frequently set at their holes; and their holes are sometimes smoked to make them run out, that they may the more readily fall into the snare, or be killed by dogs or fire-arms. But all the arts that have been employed are insufficient for rooting them out of any country. They have so many palliages in their dens, frequently at a great distance, that they often make their escape. The fox sleeps much in the day, but is in motion the whole night in search of prey. It will feed on flesh of any kind; but its favourite food is lambs, rabbits, hares, poultry, and feathered game: it will, when urged by hunger, eat carrots and insects; and those that live near the sea-coasts, for want of other food, will eat crabs, shrimps, or shell-fish. The fox is a great destroyer of rats, and field-mice; and, like the cat, will play with them a considerable time before before it puts them to death. When the fox has acquired a larger prey than it can devour at once, it never begins to feed till it has secured the rest, which it does with great address. It digs holes in different places; returns to the spot where it had left the booty; and (supposing a whole flock of poultry to have been its prey) will bring them one by one, and thrust them in with its nose, and then conceal them by ramming the loose earth on them till the calls of hunger incite him to pay them another visit. Of all animals the fox has the most significant eye, by which it expresses every passion of love, fear, hatred, &c. It is remarkably playful; but, like all savage creatures half reclaimed, will on the least offence bite those it is most familiar with. It is a great admirer of its bushy tail, with which it frequently amuses and exercises itself, by running in circles to catch it; and, in cold weather, wraps it round its nose. The smell of this animal is in general very strong, but that of the urine is remarkably fetid. This seems so offensive even to itself, that it will take the trouble of digging a hole in the ground, stretching its body at full length over it; and there, after depositing its water, cover it over with the earth, as the cat does its dung. The smell is so offensive, that it has often proved the means of the foxes escape from the dogs; who have so strong an aversion at the filthy effluvia, as to avoid encountering the animal it came from. It is said that the fox makes use of its urine as an expedient to force the cleanly badger from its habitation: whether that is the means, is rather doubtful; but that the fox makes use of the badger's hole, is certain: not through want of ability to form its own retreat, but to save itself some trouble; for after the expulsion of the first inhabitant, the fox improves as well as enlarges it considerably, adding several chambers, and providently making several entrances to secure a retreat from every quarter. In warm weather, it will quit its habitation for the sake of basking in the sun, or to enjoy the free air; but then it rarely lies exposed, but chooses some thick brake, that it may rest secure from surprize. Crows, magpies, and other birds, who consider the fox as their common enemy, will often, by their notes of anger, point out its retreat.—The skin of this animal is furnished with a warm soft fur, which in many parts of Europe is used to make muffs and to line clothes. Vast numbers are taken in Le Valais, and the Alpine parts of Switzerland. At Laufranne there are furriers who are in possession of between 2000 and 3000 skins, all taken in one winter.
Plate LXXI. fig. 4.
Of the fox there are several varieties; as,
1. The field-fox, or alopex of Linnaeus, who makes it a distinct species; but it is every way the same with the common fox, except in the point of the tail, which is black.
2. The cross-fox, with a black mark passing transversely from shoulder to shoulder, with another along the back to the tail. It inhabits the coldest parts of Europe, Asia, and North-America: a valuable fur, thicker and softer than the common sort: great numbers of the skins are imported from Canada.
3. The black fox is the most cunning of any, and its skin the most valuable; a lining of it is, in Russia, esteemed preferable to the finest fables: a single skin will sell for 400 rubles. It inhabits the northern parts of Asia, and North-America. The last is inferior in goodness.
4. The brant fox, as described by Gesner and Linnaeus, is of a fiery redness; and called by the first brand-fuchs; by the last brandraeck; it is scarce half the size of the common fox: the nose is black, and much sharper; the space round the ears ferruginous; the forehead, back, shoulders, thighs, and sides black mixed with red, ash-colour and black; the belly yellowish; the tail black above, red beneath, and cinereous on its side. It is a native of Pennsylvania.
5. The corsac-fox, with upright ears, soft downy hair; tail bushy; colour in summer pale tawney, in winter grey: the base and tip of the tail black: a small kind. It inhabits the deserts beyond the Yaik: lives in holes: howls and barks: is caught by the Kirgis Khaifacks with falcons and greyhounds: 40 or 50,000 are annually taken, and sold to the Russians, at the rate of 40 kopeiks, or 20 pence, each: the former use their skins instead of money: great numbers are sent into Turkey.
6. There are three varieties of foxes found in the mountainous parts of these islands, which differ a little in form, but not in colour, from each other. They are distinguished in Wales by as many different names. The milg, or greyhound fox, is the largest, tallest, and boldest; and will attack a grown sheep or wether: the mafliff-fox is less, but more strongly built: the corgi, or cur-fox, is the least; lurks about hedges, out-houses, &c. and is the most pernicious of the three to the feathered tribe. The first of these varieties has a white tag or tip to the tail; the last a black. When hunted, they never run directly forward, but make a great many doublings and turnings; and when in danger of being taken, they emit such a smell from their posteriors that the hunters can hardly endure it.
V. The lagopus, or arctic fox, with a sharp nose; short rounded ears, almost hid in the fur; long and soft hair, somewhat woolly; short legs; toes covered on all parts, like that of a common hare, with fur; tail shorter and more bushy than that of the common fox, of a bluish grey or ash colour, sometimes white: the young of the grey are black before they come to maturity: the hair much longer in winter than summer, as is usual with animals of cold climates. It inhabits the countries bordering on the Frozen Sea; Kamchatka, the isles between it and America, and the opposite parts of America discovered in captain Bering's expedition, 1741; is again found in Greenland, Iceland, Spitzbergen, Nova Zembla, and Lapland. It burrows underground, forms holes many feet in length; and screws the bottom with moss. In Greenland and Spitzbergen it lives in the cliffs of rocks, not being able to burrow, by reason of the frost: two or three pair inhabit the same hole. They are in heat about Lady-day; and during that time, they continue in the open air, but afterwards take to their holes. They go with young nine weeks: like dogs, they continue united, in copulation: they bark like that animal, for which reason the Russians call them peszti, or dogs. They have all the cunning of the common fox; prey on geese, ducks, and other water-fowl, before they can fly; on grouse of the country, on hares, and the eggs of birds; and in Greenland (through necessity), on berries, shell-fish, or any thing the sea flings up. But their prin- principal food in the north of Asia and in Lapland, is the leming, or Lapland marmot; those of the countries last mentioned are very migratory, pursuing the leming which is a wandering animal; sometimes these foxes will desert the country for three or four years, probably in pursuit of their prey; for it is well known that the migrations of the leming are very inconstant, it appearing in some countries only once in several years. The people of Jenesea suspect they go to the banks of the Oby. They are taken in traps: oftentimes the glutton and great owl destroy them before the hunter can take them out: the skins are of small value: the great rendezvous of these animals is on the banks of the Frozen Sea, and the rivers that flow into it, where they are found in great troops.
VI. The auribus, or jackal; of the form of a wolf, but much less; the colour of a bright yellow. It inhabits all the hot and temperate parts of Asia; is found in Barbary and other parts of Africa as low as the Cape of Good Hope. They go in packs of 40, 50, and even of 200; and hunt like hounds in full cry, from evening to morning: they destroy the flocks and poultry; ravage the streets of villages, and gardens near towns, and will even destroy children that are unprotected: they will enter stables and out-houses, and devour skins, and any thing else formed of that material: there is scarce any animal they will leave unmolested: in default of living prey, they will feed on roots, fruits, and the most infected carrion: they will greedily disinter the dead, and feed on putrid corpses; for which reason, in many countries, the graves are made of a great depth, and well secured against their attacks: they attend caravans, and follow armies, in hopes that death will provide them a banquet: their howls and clamours are dreadful; and so loud, that people can scarce hear one another speak: during the day they are silent, and retire to their dens. Delleys says, that they are sometimes tamed, and kept among other domestic animals.
This animal is commonly called the lion's provider, from an opinion that it rouses the prey for that bad-nosed quadruped. The fact is, that every creature in the forest is set in motion by the fearful cries of the jackals; the lion, and other beasts of prey, by a kind of instinct, attend to the chace, and seize such timid animals as betake themselves to flight at the noise of this nightly pack. It is described by Oppian under the name λοχετος, or yellow wolf; who mentions its horrible howl. It is strange that an animal so common in the Levant, should never have been brought over to be described by any modern naturalist. The descriptions yet remain very obscure; and there is still a great uncertainty whether the jackal and the adive of Mr Buffon are the same or different animals.
VII. The mexicanus has a smooth crooked tail. The body is ash-coloured, variegated with yellow spots. It is a native of Mexico, and is called the mountain-cat by Seba. It agrees with the European wolf in its manners; attacks cattle, and sometimes men.
VIII. The thous has a smooth crooked tail; the upper part of its body is grey, and its belly white. It is about the size of a large cat; and, according to Linnaeus, is found at Surinam: it is mentioned by no other naturalist.
Canis Major, the Great Dog, in astronomy, a constellation of the southern hemisphere, below Orion's feet, tho' somewhat to the westward of him. For the number of his stars, see Astronomy, n° 266.
Canis Minor, the Little Dog, in astronomy, a constellation of the northern hemisphere; called also by the Greeks procyon, and by the Latins antecanis, and canicula. See Canicula; and Astronomy, n° 266.
Canisius (Henry), a native of Nimeguen, and one of the most learned men of his time, was professor of canon law at Ingolstadt; and wrote a great number of books, the principal of which are, 1. Summa Juris Canonici. 2. Antiquae lectiones, a very valuable work. He died in 1609.